Reflective Journal
Maram Sultan
Since last year my skills and knowledge have been developing. While working on University projects, my process differs when it’s a project that attracts my attention and when it’s not. That should not be the case in the future, as in the working field I may get projects that I like and some that I don’t. In this reflective writing I have revealed my weaknesses as well as my strengths. There are four aspects that I have to write about in this reflective journal. First, I am going to begin with the Skills and Knowledge: 1. Awareness of diverse & global range of design cultures & languages -‐ I am still not confident about it, and I have shown that in my SWOT Analysis. I believe I will develop in that area, because I’ve been surrounded by different nationalities for the past couple of years. 2. Experience of design research, analysis & synthesis -‐ At the beginning of every module, we get the chance to research and browse the Internet as well as look at books to get inspired by the ideas. We are required to analyse and synthesis what we read, and record it in our sketchbooks as part of our research. 3. Visualising / prototyping skills & aptitudes in a range of media & formats -‐ While we’re doing our research we sketch as well as start doing miniatures of our concepts, this makes us learn ranges of media and their format quickly and easily because we should use them, as a result I find myself capable in working in that area. 4. Aptitude in compiling interim & summative design presentations -‐ I am starting to get better and more capable in presenting design presentations, I usually get nervous at the beginning, but once I start it’s easier for me to speak and portray my thoughts. 5. Aptitude for designing through a digital platform -‐ I enjoy using software’s and digital platforms to design, and I think that in my career, I will mostly include digital work. I still don’t know much software’s but I am competent with AutoCAD as well as SketchUp. 6. Knowledge & experience of process, component & production technology -‐ We’ve been to the workshop and I like working on doing models, this process needs about a week to get the knowledge and experience of the process, component and production technology. Second is Project Process: 7. Experience of design process & methodologies -‐ I practice design process and methodologies because that’s how I plan the projects that we get, as a result I would know the process for how to design it into the final piece. 8. Experience of team leadership & management -‐ I’ve experienced working in a team for both designing a project, at the beginning of the first year, as well as working and presenting a presentation with a group. 9. Experience of costing projects & fee negotiation -‐ We haven’t really gone through costs of projects and fee negotiation, this might not be so important right now but is really important for my future, as it would cover a huge part in the career field. 10. Experience of planning & managing project activity -‐ Every member of the group presentations was once pointed to be a leader who plans and manages the work that was being done throughout the activity at that specific point.
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11. Experience of managing client relationships & collaboration -‐ At the end of last year we experienced managing clients requirements, but didn’t really collaborate and interact with them. 12. Experience of a wide range of project types & scales of innovation -‐ We still didn’t experience a wide range of project types and scales of innovation; I think that by the end of the third year we would have a wide range of different project types. Then comes Enterprise and Marketing: 13. Knowledge of design sectors & creative industries -‐ From my own research, I get to know different design sectors and creative industries, whenever I go through something that attracts my attention, I save it on my history and go back to it when needed. I think I still need more time to be professional in it. 14. Experience of project procurement & client consultation -‐ While we’re at University, we consider our tutors to be our clients, so whenever we face any difficulties we go back to them, but we never experienced project procurements yet. 15. Experience in planning continuing professional development -‐ Gantt chart helped me in planning my time and continuing on developing, but in my opinion I, wouldn’t want to do one for every module. 16. Experience and understanding of legislation & regulations -‐ This year we started to understand the government regulations and legislation; this is useful for my future, as I would have to focus more on them by time. 17. Experience of design budgets & account management -‐ Till now, we haven’t experienced any design budgets and account management with a client or in a project, although I think that this would be useful for us, as it develops the ability of having a budget and working on it for all projects. 18. Experience of design practice marketing & promotion -‐ We still haven’t experienced design practice marketing and promotion, but in my opinion mood boards work similar to a marketing technique. We’ve done a couple of client boards that has information about our concepts and pictures of the final outcome and I enjoy presenting them to the class, because I spend time thinking of how to make the layout attractive. Fourth is Values and Vision: 19. Understanding & practice of ethical business standards – 20. Subscription to policies & standards of ethical design -‐ 21. Commitment to & understanding of the imperatives of professional practice – I think that we haven’t done much on this section, which is illustrated in my SWOT Analysis. The score I gave myself on these criteria’s was a 2, which is considered as developing. Since all these 24 criteria’s are considered important and are part of the Design Council Analysis, I think that I have to develop even more and concentrate on them while working on the coming projects to become a professional in this field. 22. Awareness & appreciation of key design futures & innovation trends – While studying our different modules, our tutors point out the awareness and appreciation of key design futures and innovation trends for us, so that we become more like those designer that’s work always look new and trendy.
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23. Commitment to the advancement of design knowledge, expertise & value -‐ Practice makes perfect therefore the commitment to the advancement of design knowledge, expertise and values from our side should come naturally. 24. Awareness & practice of user centred design -‐ Last year we had a module, which was called “User Centred Design,” I still think we can be more aware about it for our future career, because the knowledge we currently have, wouldn’t help us much. This reflective journal has given me the chance to look back and see where my strengths and weaknesses are. I think that after writing this journal, I am giving myself the chance to improve even more and be professional by the time I start my future career.
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